In English, the verb ‘change’ means to alter or modify. Change is about making someone or something different, or perhaps replacing something. So, all these change idioms and sayings have the same theme.
It may be easy to guess the meaning of some of these expressions which include the word ‘change’. Others might be harder to understand, but we have included a definition for each and used it in a sentence to make things clearer.
This list will focus on idioms about change but there are plenty of idioms talking about the future that you may also find helpful while we’re on this topic.
Change idioms
A change of heart
If you have a change of heart, it means you no longer have the same opinion or thoughts about something. It may even be a complete reversal in how you feel or what you intend to do.
“After she heard all her friends had joined the drama club she had a change of heart and joined too.”
Change your tune
Some of these change idioms have much the same meaning. When you change your tune you simply adopt a different opinion or begin to act in a different way. It’s very similar to a change of heart.
“Oh, last week you were so certain it was want you wanted. Why have you changed your tune?”
Take a look at some more musical idioms here!
A change of scene / scenery
Change idioms can be about your personal characteristics or thoughts but this one is more about your surroundings. When you need a change of scene you are simply looking to move to different surroundings.
It could be something immediate, like spending some time away from your desk while at work. But this idiom about change can also be used to discuss bigger life choices, like getting a new job or moving to a new house, city, or even country!
‘I’ve been working and living in London for so long, I really need a change of scenery.”
This saying is similar to a ‘change is as good as a rest’, which is explained further down.
Sometimes, people achieve a temporary change of scene by taking a vacation. If this is what you are planning, take a look at some travel idioms too.
A leopard can’t change its spots
A leopard is a large wild cat born with yellow fur and beautiful black spots. These spots will stay with it for life. When you apply the fact that a leopard can’t change its spots to people, you are commenting that people can’t change their personalities or (bad) habits.
“Please don’t get back with your ex-boyfriend. No matter what he says, I believe that a leopard can’t change its spots.”
You may also hear different versions of this animal idiom including the fact that tigers or zebras can’t change their stripes. They all mean the same thing.
Also, did you know this expression has a Biblical connection? We have plenty of other Biblical idioms to look through as well.
You don’t change horses in the middle of the race
Here’s another of the idioms about change linked to politics or governments. It suggests that you shouldn’t change leaders or government when times are hard.
“The country needs a strong leader right now. It’s best we don’t change horses in the middle of the race.”
The saying you don’t change horses in the middle of the race was made popular by Abraham Lincoln in 1864.
A change is as good as a rest
The old English proverb a change is as good as a rest describes the fact that sometimes just modifying something like your job is as helpful as taking a break from it.
“Instead of quitting, why don’t you think about moving departments? A change may be as good as a rest.”
This is just one example of many good idioms in English.
The times they are a-changing
This is not so much of an idiom, but a popular saying made famous in the song of the same name, written by Bob Dylan. When people say that the times (they) are a-changing, they are simply referring to something changing over time; usually something to do with popular opinion, governments or laws.
“I’m glad we voted in a new school president. I can really feel that the times are a-changing!’
There are plenty more idioms about time which we have covered separately.
A chunk of change
When learning idioms about change, it’s important to know that ‘change’ can also have another meaning connected to money. While the noun ‘change’ usually refers to the money you receive back after paying for something, a chunk of change means a large amount of money.
“Your new car must have cost a chunk of change.”
Other times you may hear the word ‘change’ connected to money is when you pay for an item with an amount more than it is worth. You will receive the difference back so that you pay the correct amount. This returned money is your ‘change’. If you are given back less than was due to you, you could say you were ‘short-changed’.
‘Change’ can also refer to lower-value, lose coins. If someone needs some small coins, perhaps to put into a machine, they will ask you if you have any change. And someone might ask if you can spare some change if they are struggling financially and would like you to give them some money.
There are lots of other idioms about money for you to explore later.
More idioms about change
Break the mold
A mold is a hollow shape into which you pour a liquid such as plaster or jelly/jello. When it sets, it hardens to create a solid in the form of the mold.
When you break the mold, it means you are no longer being restricted by a particular expectation. You are doing something different to the norm instead of feeling the need to fit in or be the same as everyone else.
“I need to break the mold and try a new look.”
Reinvent the wheel
It’s said the wheel is the greatest invention of all time; therefore, there’s no need to recreate it. So to reinvent the wheel is to spend a lot of time and effort working on an alternative to something that is already fit for purpose.
“I know we are supposed to be pioneers in innovation, but there’s no need to reinvent the wheel.”
Turn over a new leaf
Most idioms about change are positive in their meaning. So when you turn over a new leaf you are saying you want to change, start anew or to act in a better way.
“I’m going to really try to turn over a new leaf next year.”
With the connection of leaves falling from the tree this expression may be used in autumn. In fact there are plenty of autumn and fall idioms to enjoy.
Start from scratch
When you start from scratch you simply start from the beginning or start all over again.
“I think it’s time we start from scratch as the first attempt didn’t work out well.”
Jump on the bandwagon
Do you know a friend who always joins in with something just because it’s popular? Or a friend who supports whichever team is currently winning? Then they would be accused of jumping on the bandwagon – changing their opinion and joining something simply because it’s fashionable and not because of a genuine interest.
“Just because Manchester United is winning the league, there’s no need to jump on the bandwagon and become a fan!”
Out with the old, in with the new
This a great idiom about change which marks a turning point or milestone in the process. You could use it when making New Year’s resolutions, clearing out your home, or making changes at work.
Out with the old, in with the new applies to abandoning old ideas, ways, things or practices and replacing them with new items or a fresh way of being and thinking.
“I think the company is trying to make some changes in personnel. Out with the old, in with the new, so to speak!”
“She’ll never get over her ex while she still has all those things that remind her of him. It’s time for a clear out: out with the old, in with the new!”
Fresh blood / new blood / young blood
A lot of change idioms apply to work situations and are good examples of business idioms. Any of the versions fresh, new or young blood may be used when new people are brought into a company to help generate different ideas or alter the energy within a team.
“What the football team needs is fresh blood. Some new players would make a big difference.”
We hope you found this list of change idioms helpful and you’ll be able to use some new ones as you expand your English vocabulary. Once you have mastered these, take a look at some transition words which we also use to switch between ideas or talk about changes.
Do you want to be more confident using English? Why not try Grammarly’s free proofreading tool. It checks as you write and helps you correct and improve your spelling and grammar.
One to change it, and one to initiate a probe into the possible involvement of President Duterte in the old light bulb’s ‘death.’
When implementing changes in structure, system, or process; individual change has a mediating role because change starts with individual change, and unless the majority of individuals change their attitudes or behaviors, no organizational change occurs (Alas, 2007).
* A consolidated group member changing to or from a 52-53-week tax year is not eligible for automatic consent for such change, unless the requested year is identical to the consolidated group’s tax year.
In April 2006, CMS released «Artifacts of Culture Change,» a 70-page document that includes a scorecard covering 79 CMS-defined «artifacts.» Labeled «Compliance and Culture Change in LTC,» the scorecard is intended to help providers measure their success in implementing CMS’s measurements defining culture change.
To create a context of contemporary change in the classroom, a written assignment was structured to mimic a characteristic of complexity theory.
According to Anne Hass in Configuration Management Principles and Practices, configuration «derives from the Latin com-, meaning ‘with’ or ‘together,’ and figurare, ‘to form.'» Loosely interpreting that, she says, configuration means «to form from a relative arrangement of parts.» Hass defines configuration management as the «unique identification, controlled storage, change control, and status reporting of selected intermediate work products, product components, and products during the life of a system.»
I will review the important role that Earth Science plays in the climate change debate and suggest ways in which we should respond to the intense societal interest in the debate.
The successful implementation of change is facilitated when your organization’s culture, systems, and structures support and reinforce the new vision, objectives, and behaviors.
Advocates are demanding changes to assure the same protections as afforded other citizens, while others believe they can reveerse social change by enshrining penalties and fostering stigma on the alternative families involved.
In this model, [B.sub.1] estimates the slope of the preintervention data, [B.sub.2] estimates the slope of the postintervention data, and [B.sub.3] estimates the change in level of outcome as the difference between the estimated first point postintervention and the extrapolated first point postintervention if the preintervention line was continued into the postintervention phase.
Under IAS 8, Accounting Policies and Changes in Accounting Estimates and Errors (www.iasb.org/uploaded_files/documents/8_63_ias08-sum.pdf), a change in accounting policy should be applied retrospectively, and the cumulative effect of the adjustment should be reflected in the opening balance of equity for the period.
In Preparation, the person undertakes serious planning to engage in behavior change within a set period of time, say one month.
In addition to his bias for change, de Brabandere has one for speed, as well.
«Climate change could undo even the little progress most African countries have achieved so fat in terms of development,» says Anthony Nyong, a professor of environmental science at the University of Jos in Nigeria.
Statement 154 requires retrospective application to prior periods’ financial statements of a voluntary change in accounting principle unless it is impracticable.
change color
To become pale.
The sight was so horrible that Mary changed color from fear.
Bill lost so much blood from the cut that he changed color.
To become pink or red in the face; become flushed; blush.
Mary changed color when the teacher praised her drawing.
Tom got angry at the remark and changed color.
change hands
To change or transfer ownership.
Ever since our apartment building changed hands, things are working a lot better.
change horses in the middle of a stream
change horses in midstream
To make new plans or choose a new leader in the middle of an important activity.
When a new President is to be elected during a war, the people may decide not to change horses in the middle of a stream.
change of heart
A change in the way one feels or thinks about a given task, idea or problem to be solved.
Изменение в эмоциональном отношении к чему-либо, полученной задаче, идее или проблеме, требующей решения.
Joan had a change of heart and suddenly broke off her engagement to Tim.
Fred got admitted to medical school, but he had a change of heart and decided to go into the Foreign Service instead.
I had a change of heart and I decided to go to a movie with my friend.
Я передумал и решил пойти в кино с моим другом.
change of life
The menopause (primarily in women).
Women usually undergo a change of life in their forties or fifties.
change of pace
A quick change in what you are doing.
John studied for three hours and then read a comic book for a change of pace.
The doctor told the man he needed a change of pace.
change off
To take turns doing something; alternate.
John and Bill changed off at riding the bicycle.
Bob painted one patch of wall and then he changed off with Tom.
change one’s mind
To alter one’s opinion or judgment on a given issue.
I used to hate Chicago, but as the years passed I gradually changed my mind and now I actually love living here.
We have changed our minds and are going to Canada instead of California this summer.
Matthew has changed his mind several times about buying a new car.
he had a change of heart — у него переменилось настроение
to change / put in / screw in a bulb — ввернуть лампочку
to change catheter — поменять катетер
to change bandage — делать перевязку, менять повязку
to change one’s mind — передумать, изменить решение
to change from / out of smth. — снимать что-л.
to change into smth. — надеть что-л., переодеться во что-л.
drastic / great change — большие перемены
little change — незначительное изменение
marked change — значительные перемены
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How can you talk about change in English?
Here are lots of ways you can use idioms of change to sound more like a native speaker.
blow away the cobwebs = literally to get rid of the webs that spiders make, this idiom means to do something which makes your mind “cleaner” and fresher: “After sitting in the same chair for five hours, I wanted to go out for a walk to blow away the cobwebs.”
like a breath of fresh air = someone or something who has new, fresh ideas or behaviour: “After working for the old boss for 20 years, the new boss seems like a breath of fresh air.”
out with the old, in with the new = to change the old for the new: “We have a new CEO who wants to make his mark on the company. Out with the old, in with the new.”
new blood = to have fresh people and ideas in an organisation: “In an effort to get new blood into our research department, we’re having a recruitment drive.”
shake things up (a shake up) = to change things a lot: “The government are having a shake up of their education policies.”
give something a new lease of life = to renew something so that it lasts longer: “Those tablets have given our pet dog a new lease of life.”
breathe new life into = to give new energy to something: “This sports club needs to increase its members to breathe new life into our finances.”
New views
get a fresh perspective = to get a different point of view: “Let’s ask the sales department for their opinion. The can bring us a fresh perspective.”
see things from a different angle = to consider something from a different point of view: “Let’s try to see this problem from a different angle.”
Starting again
go back to square one = to have to start again because something didn’t work: “Well, so much for trying! I suppose it’s back to square one.”
go back to the drawing board = to have to start again because something didn’t work: “Unfortunately the plans didn’t work out. We’ll have to go back to the drawing board.”
start with a clean sheet = to have another chance, perhaps because you have made serious mistakes: “He’s paid for his mistakes, and now he can start with a clean sheet.”
make a fresh start / make a clean break = to start something again: “Let’s put the problems behind us and make a fresh start.”
Some other expressions with change
a change is as good as a rest = it’s often as refreshing to make a change than it is to have a break
a change for the better / worse = a change that results in either a better or a worse situation
a change of heart = when you change your mind on something: “I’ve had a change of heart. I think I’ll stay in my present job, after all.”
loose change / spare change = coins in your pocket: “Do you have any spare change for the parking meter?”
small change = money of little value: “I’ve got about 5 euros of small change in my pocket.”
- Language level: upper intermediate & advanced / B2, C1,
- Skills: advanced English vocabulary: idioms
- Time: 7 – 10 mins
- Updated 8/1/2021
Have you ever been excited about making a change in your life? Or have you ever faced a difficult change? What changes are you facing right now?
Can you talk about this subject confidently in English?
To help you, here are 7 idioms to talk about change that native speakers commonly use.
PS. This lesson is inspired by our on-demand advanced English programme Road to Proficiency, designed for people who want to bring their English as close as possible to that of a native speaker.
7 English idioms to talk about change
In this video we will learn: 7 common and useful idioms that we use to talk about change
Let’s start with two idioms that you likely know, or at least have heard before:
- To change your mind
- To change your tune
They may seem the same, but in fact there is a little difference in meaning and use:
Change your mind means that you change your opinion about something:
- When I first started reading 1984 I wasn’t sure I was going to like it. I thought it was a bit slow and too depressing. But I soon changed my mind once I got into it and now I think it’s a fantastic book.
Change your tune similarly means to change your opinion, or your behaviour changes. We use it slightly differently to change your mind. We usually use change your tune when the opinion or behaviour goes from a negative to a positive.
Imagine you have a friend who has been moaning about her boyfriend for weeks. Really negative about him … they are arguing and they are not in a good place. Then suddenly, your friend starts saying how amazing her boyfriend is, she’s really in love with him, he can’t do anything wrong ….
In this context you wouldn’t say to your friend: You’ve changed your mind!
You would say: Well, you’ve changed your tune!
Because they’ve changed their opinion and the way they behave. It’s gone from feeling negatively towards something to feeling positively.
Idiom to talk about change no.3:
to have a change of heart
The next one, is to have a change of heart and again there is a difference in meaning to change your mind:
To have a change of heart really means that you’ve had a change in the way you are feeling about something or a change in attitude towards something or someone:
So my friend Lucy was seriously considering moving back to the UK and she had even gone so far as to give notice on her flat here in Italy. However, after thinking about it loads, she had a change of heart and decided that she’d miss her lifestyle here too much and she decided to stay.
Be careful HOW you use these idioms:
You CAN say:
- I changed my mind / or he changed his mind
But you wouldn’t be so likely to say: I changed my tune. We tend to use this one when we address other people, not talk about ourself.
So you CAN say: she changed her tune or you’ve changed your tune!
You CAN’T say: I changed my heart. Or He changed his heart.
This idiom contains the verb TO HAVE: I’ve HAD a change of heart / He had a change of heart
Pronunciation TIP!
changed /tʃeɪndʒd/
See: Pronounce the past tense (-ed) like a native speaker
Idiom to talk about change no.4:
to change tack
The next idiom we are going to look at is: to change tack
If you change tack or try a different tack, you try a different method for dealing with a situation:
So when I first moved to Florence in 2013, I originally tried to set up business English courses. But I soon realised that the Florentines that I knew, they weren’t interested at all in business English! So I changed tack completely and started a conversation class and wine night! (Which by the way worked much better, it was a hoot!)
Idiom to talk about change no.5:
to change out of (all) recognition
Idiom number 5 is to change out of all recognition: we can use this one when someone something has changed so much or so dramatically that now they are completely unfamiliar or unrecognisable.
For example, Pete has lost so much weight he’s changed out of all recognition.
Or: I wouldn’t have recognised Laura is she hadn’t said her last name. I know it’s been over 20 years since we last saw each other, but she’s totally changed out of recognition since we were kids!
Now the last two idioms that we are going to learn don’t have the word change in them, but they are about change.
Idiom no.6: to turn over a new leaf
Number 6 is to turn over a new leaf: On Monday, I’m going to turn over a new leaf and only drink one coffee a day!
This idiom means that you want to change a habit, and start to act or behave in a better or more responsible way: Mark has really turned over a new leaf – he is really committed to the project now and giving it 100%.
Idiom to talk about change no.7:
to take shape
And lastly, idiom number 7 to take shape. This means to change and develop into something definite or tangible. For example:
I have been working on English Digital Academy for a while now, but it really started to take shape about 6 months ago. So it really started to change into something clearer and tangible a few months ago.
So there you have it! 7 useful idioms to talk about change, some with similar meanings but used in different ways.
Activate!
The best way to learn and understand the difference between these idioms is to practise using them. You can write a few sentences in the comments using these idioms and I’ll let you know if you’ve used them correctly.
I hope you have enjoyed the lesson and please share if you think it could be useful for your friends.
Love learning!
Kerin
If you found this lesson useful please share the love!
Want to learn more?
Check out our advanced English programme Road to Proficiency and begin your English journey today!
The new year is a time when many people make resolutions to improve themselves. Here are some idioms about change and new beginnings.
Meaning: To change the way you behave and become a better person. “Leaf” here is an old word meaning page of a book, so the idea is that you’re turning to a new, blank page in a notebook.
In use: Billy decided to turn over a new leaf and stop teasing his younger brother.
Take stock (of something)
Meaning: To think carefully about a situation so that you can decide what to do about it. “Stock” means supplies of something, so “taking stock” conjures up the idea of counting how much of something you have.
In use: Ka-yan spent the night before her birthday taking stock of all she had achieved so far.
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Kick the habit
Meaning: To stop doing something harmful that you have done for a long time
In use: Sandy has bitten his nails for years, but he really wants to kick the habit.
Take it one day at a time
Meaning: To deal with each day’s problems as they happen, and not worry too much about the distant future
In use: Giving up meat can be tough, but take it one day at a time, and you’ll realise you can do it.
Make a fresh start
Meaning: To take the opportunity to begin something again
In use: I’m looking forward to making a fresh start this term, training harder, and getting back on the basketball team.
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Once and for all
Meaning: Completely and finally
In use: Arthur told his grandfather he had to stop smoking once and for all; otherwise he wouldn’t be visiting any more.
Bite the bullet
Meaning: To force yourself to do something unpleasant or difficult. Many sources say the phrase comes from battlefields, before there was anaesthetic, when soldiers were given something (sometimes a bullet) to put between their teeth to stop them screaming out as a surgeon amputated an injured limb.
In use: I’m scared he’ll say no, but I’m going to bite the bullet and finally ask Danny out on a date.
Get the ball rolling
Meaning: To start something happening. If you roll a ball, it gathers momentum so that it keeps going.
In use: Ms Chen started the ball rolling on our daily class gratitude list by writing a list of 10 things she’s thankful for.
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Start from scratch
Meaning: To begin doing a job or activity completely from the beginning. A “scratch” was a term used for the starting line of a race.
In use: I’m not sure what I’ve done with the designs for my comic book, so I’ll have to start from scratch.
Get your act together
Meaning: To be more organised, or behave better so that you can achieve what you want or need to achieve
In use: Tommy needs to get his act together if he wants to apply for that scholarship – the deadline is next week.
Couch potato
Meaning: Someone who does not exercise and sits on the sofa watching a lot of TV
In use: Mum wants us all to join her yoga class and stop being couch potatoes.
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Don’t bite off more than you can chew
Meaning: Don’t try to do more than you are able. If you take too big a bite of food, you will have trouble trying to swallow it, and could choke.
In use: Anna thinks I’ve bitten off more than I can chew by joining the choir, the orchestra and the debating team, but I think I’ll be fine.
Jump on the bandwagon
Meaning: To join an activity or support an opinion that is very fashionable. A bandwagon is a decorated cart for musicians to ride in.
In use: Clara says she’s always been interested in meditation, but I think she’s just jumping on the bandwagon so she seems cool.
Video Transcript
Section 1
Hello I’m Emma from mmmEnglish! In this lesson, I’ll go over five common idioms that sound very similar, their meaning also very similar. They’re all about change. But the way that we use each of them in English is a little different.
In some of my previous lessons like this one, I explained why idioms are important and what strategies you can use to learn them and remember them. Idioms can be a little tricky to learn but they’re fun to use and they definitely make English more interesting and more entertaining.
This lesson is an advanced lesson, one that will teach you the subtle differences between some very similar idioms. It will help you to use them correctly and sound more natural like a native English speaker.
Now my advice with learning idioms is always to think about a situation in your own life where the meaning of the idiom is relevant so you can associate the idiom with a memory or an experience that you have. It’s going to help you to remember the idiom but it will also mean you can use the idiom whenever you talk about that memory or that experience in English. Super cool, right?
Okay so in this lesson we’re focusing on idioms with the word change. Now something my dear dad used to tell me is that change is the only constant in life. It’s the one thing that stays the same. Everything around us is changing. Our lives change, we change. So these idioms are super relevant and helpful so that you can express yourself. When we move to a new house or we start a new job, we meet new people, things change. As we grow older, we change. As certain things happen in our lives, we also change.
Change isn’t always easy but being able to talk about it in English should be.
(to) change your mind
So let’s start with ‘to change your mind’. Now it’s a common one, one that you’ve probably heard before. It’s used when you make a decision or you form an opinion that’s different to the one that you first had.
I was going to travel to Europe in September but I’ve changed my mind, I’m going to go Asia instead.
When I first met Paul, I thought he was odd but now that I’ve got to know him a little better, I’ve changed my mind! I think he was probably just shy when I first met him.
Have you changed your mind about something recently? or maybe even your plans for the weekend. Perhaps you’ve changed your mind about somebody, you’ve changed your opinion about them. If you can think of something tell me about it, write a sentence in the comments so I can check it for you.
Maybe you always wanted to study in America but now you’ve decided you want to study in Australia. Perhaps you’ve changed your mind.
(to) change your tune
So that was ‘change your mind’. What about..
- to change your tune
- change of heart
- a change of scene
- a change of pace
Now all of these idioms are similar but the way that we use them is slightly different, something that you need to understand and you need to pay attention to if you want to sound natural when you’re speaking English.
‘To change your tune’ is usually used when someone’s opinion changes or someone’s behaviour changes and usually it’s from a negative to a positive one.
So imagine that you have a colleague who’s been complaining about your boss for months. They don’t get on well together, they disagree on most things and your colleague can be quite stubborn about it. But suddenly, your colleague comes into the office and starts saying that your boss is really nice and that he’s really great to work with.
He even goes and gets him a coffee every morning and you think “You’ve really changed your tune!”
They’ve changed their opinion and they’ve changed the way that they behave around this person. This whole year I’ve been trying to convince Shah, my fiance, to go on a holiday and he’s been saying “No, it’s too expensive we can’t afford it!”
But last night he came home and he said he wanted to buy tickets to Tokyo and I thought “Hmm he’s really changed his tune.” He’s changed his tune.
a change of heart
Now ‘a change of heart’ is slightly different. You can see that it’s treated like a noun phrase. It’s always a change of heart and it’s usually singular. And this idiom is about a change in attitude. A change in the way that you feel about something. So imagine that you found a dress and it’s perfect to wear to your friend’s wedding. It’s gorgeous, you love it but you’re not sure if it’s going to go with the shoes that you’ve already got at home. You’re not sure if you should buy it. But the shop assistant says “If you have a change of heart, you can return it tomorrow.”
Now be careful that you don’t use this idiom in the same way as the previous ones. You can’t say “He changed his heart” or “I changed my heart” It doesn’t work, it’s not the same, it sounds a bit weird. It’s usually used with the verb ‘have’.
He had a change of heart.
She will probably have a change of heart.
I still remember when I was eighteen years old and I moved out of my family home. I was moving into an apartment with some friends in the city and as I was saying goodbye to my parents, I started feeling really sad that I was leaving so my mum said “Well if you have a change of heart and you decide to move back home, you’ll always be welcome.” which made me feel a lot better about leaving.
a change of scene / scenery
Now speaking of moving house, we have our next idiom, ‘a change of scene’ or ‘a change of scenery’. And this idiom is used when you move to different surroundings, you know, a different environment. It could be used to talk about where you live or where you work.
Tim was tired of working at his father’s company. He wanted a change of scene so he applied for a job in Sydney.
I’m so tired of this little, tiny town. I’ve been living here for twelve years. I need a change of scenery! I’m going to move to New York.
a change of pace
A change of pace is used in a similar way. It talks about a change from your normal, daily routine so you can use it to say that you need to try something different for a while. A change from what you’re used to. If you’re not feeling very inspired by English these days or very motivated to practise, perhaps you need a change of pace. You could travel to another country where you have to use your English and practise more.
So there you have it! Five useful idioms all about change, ones that all have very similar meanings but are used slightly differently. You can be confident using any of them with a native English speakers from all English-speaking countries. They’re really useful ones to learn because they’re so common.
The best way to understand the difference between them is to practise using them. So get down in the comments and write a few sentences using these idioms for me. I’ll let you know if you need to change them or rewrite them in any way. Don’t be shy. If you change your mind about your sentence, you can always edit your comment later.
If you enjoyed learning new ways to talk about change in this lesson, I want to recommend a book for you ‘Where’d you go Bernadette?’ Its a funny entertaining book about a mother who goes missing before a family trip to Antarctica and it offers countless opportunities to use the idioms that you learned in this lesson and to think about change generally throughout our lives.There’s a link to the book and the audiobook in the description below.
You know I recommend audible to all of my students as a way to learn new vocabulary and the correct pronunciation, the natural pronunciation of English words in context. Now if you’re new to Audible, you can actually get this audiobook for free using the link in the description below. Enjoy!
Hey have you subscribed to my channel yet? Make sure you do! Show your love for mmmEnglish and click that red button down there. And of course you can keep practising your English with me, here are a couple of other great lessons that I recommend. I’ll be back here next week with another lesson just for you. Bye for now!
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Harry
Harry is a native English teacher with over 10 years of experience both online and in face-to-face lessons. With his extensive experience in business, he specialises in Business English lessons but happily teaches ESL students with any English learning needs.
English Idioms about Change
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Hi there. This is Harry. And welcome back to my English learning podcast Speak Better English with Harry where I try to help you to understand and use English in a better way.
So what do I have for you in this particular podcast episode? We’re going to talk a little bit about change. Specifically, we’re going to look at the English idioms about change. I’ll give you an idiom, its definition and a good example of how to use it in English.
Intermediate to Advanced English Marathon
INSANITY: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.
- What you’ll learn:
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- This marathon is for you if you’re:
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English Idioms about Change
to break the mould
Meaning: to change the way we do things, to destroy, to completely change things
Mould /məʊld/ – is something that you make to create a piece of pottery or a piece of sculpture that you pour in your clay, whatever it is to create this shape.
Examples:
Neil broke the mould by being the first in his family to become a doctor.
In 1989 Tetley broke the mould with the introduction of the round tea bag.
There’s an expression in English.
🔴 They broke the mould when they made him.
This is quite an interesting expression because what it means is that you are very different from everybody else. So if people believe you are a little bit perhaps strange or unusual or you do things in a strange or unusual way on that nobody does it any different, then we are often said to have broken the mould.
to change your tune
Meaning: to change your opinion quite radically
Example:
They quickly changed their tune when they realised that I was the managing director. They apologised and promised to send a revised message as soon as possible.
She was quite rude to Jack at first, but then she changed her tune when someone mentioned how wealthy he was.
Reinvent the Wheel Idiom Meaning
to reinvent the wheel
Meaning: to do something that has been already done by other people; to invent something that already exists; usually used in the negative
Example:
There’s no need to reinvent the wheel, why don’t we just use this application?
There is no point in reinventing the wheel or duplicating those services already established in the community.
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English Idioms about Change
to stick to your guns
Meaning: to keep with your decision on something and under no circumstances you are going to change your mind
Example:
The Prime Minister has reassured his pro-Brexit colleagues that he’ll stick to his guns.
I tried to persuade Mary to have some ice cream but she stuck to her guns.
And then the next idiom is
to have a change of heart
Meaning: to do something differently than we did before
Example:
I had a change of heart. I realised that the office is not such a fun place without my work colleagues and decided to work from home.
English Idioms about Change
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to turn over a new leaf
Meaning: to begin something different, to start something new
Example:
Sam has finally decided to turn over a new leaf and he’s looking for a new job.
a leopard cannot change its spots
Meaning: you’re the sort of person that will never change; no matter what happens, no matter what you say, what you do, you’re always going to be the same sort of person
Example:
Be careful with Peter. Remember, a leopard never changes its spots. He might be nice today, but I guarantee he will go back to his old ways in a few days.
So there are English idioms about change:
- to break the mould
- to change your tune
- to reinvent the wheel
- to stick to your guns
- to have a change of heart
- to turn over a new leaf
- a leopard cannot or never changes its spots
Thanks for listening to this podcast episode. As always, if you wish to contact me well, you can do so.
I am always delighted to hear from you, any suggestions that you have for future podcasts. I appreciate your listening.
Take care of yourselves and, as always, join me again soon.